01/28/2026
Today I was sitting in a car repair shop, waiting.
And as often happens, people started talking to me. Strangers, really. But within minutes, we were sharing something deeper.
They spoke about the sadness they have been carrying. The fear. The feeling that the world we knew, the one that felt stable, predictable, safe is no longer.
And I sat there listening, nodding, because I've been feeling it too.
We all have, haven't we?
But here's what I kept thinking about as I drove home:
We are all connected. Not in some abstract, philosophical way, but literally.
Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about this beautifully: we are made of stardust. Every single one of us. The atoms in our bodies were forged in the hearts of dying stars billions of years ago.
Which means the stranger sitting next to me at the repair shop is also made of the same cosmic material.
The neighbor you wave to, the partner you might have been too tired to deeply "see" or understand. The person you pass on the street.
We are all stardust. We are all connected.
And in these uncertain times, when everything feels like it's falling apart, that connection is what will hold us together.
Neil also talks about love as math. As an equation.
And I think he's onto something. Actually I know he is.
In the beginning of a relationship, there are all these variables. Physical attraction. Chemistry. Do they make you laugh? Are they kind? Intelligent? Do they want to keep learning, growing, exploring life?
But here's the thing: people change. And so do the variables.
Bodies change. Circumstances change. What you valued in the beginning—what society told you to value, might not matter as much in the later years.
With age, with illness, with life, the things that drew you together might fade, transform, or disappear entirely.
So what's left?
Love. The foundation. The constant in the equation.
But here's what the fairytales don't tell you:
They end at "happily ever after."
The credits roll. The music swells. And we're left thinking that's it, love is done. You found it. You won.
But that's where real love begins.
After the happily ever after. After the wedding. After the honeymoon phase fades and life gets real.
That's when love becomes a choice. An everyday thing.
Love is 100/100. Not 50/50. Not "I'll meet you halfway or in other words a transactional relationship..
It's both people giving everything they have. And then giving some more.
It's choosing not to take each other for granted, even when you're tired, even when it's hard, even when the world is heavy and you have nothing left to give.
It's wanting to learn and continue to learn from each other. Especially when you're different.
Because if you're too much the same, you won't grow. You need contrast. You need someone who sees the world differently, who challenges you, who opens you up to exploring life together in ways you never would have alone.
That's the math that matters.
And right now? In these uncertain times?
We need that love more than ever.
Not the fairytale version. Not the 50/50 version. Not the "I'll love you when it's easy" version.
We need the real thing. The 100/100. The foundation. The choice to show up, to give, to learn, to not take each other for granted.
Because when the world feels like it's falling apart, the best way to help is to take care of the people who mean something to us.
To show up for them. To hold space. To choose love, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.
Love is the bridge.
Between fear and safety. Between isolation and connection. Between the world we're grieving and the one we're building together.
If you're feeling the weight of this moment...
If your relationships are strained, if you're exhausted, if you've been taking each other for granted, if you don't know how to find that foundation again (or if you're not sure it was ever there) I want you to know: This is the work I do. Helping people find their way back to love. Back to the foundation. Back to the 100/100. Back to the truth of what matters most.
Here's how we can work together:
→ See all coaching services
And if you need a reminder that you're made of stars...
I created the Stardust Collection—journals, apparel, and gifts designed to help you remember your cosmic connection to everything and everyone around you. Just the beginning. More to come.
Because sometimes we just need something tangible to hold onto. A touchpoint that brings us back to what matters.
Explore Make Love Your Compass® here
The world needs your love.
Not someday. Not when things get easier. Not when all the variables line up perfectly.
Right now. Starting with the people in front of you, including yourself.
Tend to your heart. Tend to your relationships. Tend to the foundation.
Don't take the ones you love for granted. Give 100%. Learn from each other. Explore life together. And then give some more.
That's how we heal. That's how we remember we're all stardust. That's how we rebuild—one choice, one day, one act of love at a time.
Especially in these uncertain times.
And even if this brought you just a moment of peace, then my job with this newsletter is done.
Because that moment, my friends, is what ripples love back home.
We're all in this together. We're all made of stars. And love is the math that holds us. Especially after "happily ever after." Especially now.
I'm here when you're ready.
With love,
Caterina Barregar
Relationship Transformation Coach
Imagine Life Coaching Inc.
P.S. If this message landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Love ripples outwar, one conversation, one connection, one reminder at a time.
